Kolkata: Bengal STF plans to move Assam court to question at least three members of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) about the role of two former JMB men, believed to have helped the ABT module in Bengal and Assam even while in jail.
While Tarikul Islam, lodged at Behrampore Correctional Home, has emerged as the one who ideated on terrorism fundinganother JMB member, identified as Najibullah, is in Presidency Jail.
“Tarikul is unwilling to provide clear information about his association with others. Detailed information is necessary to dismantle the ABT network. Therefore, we want to question Abbas Ali, Minarul Sk (both arrested in Bengal but now in Assam police custody) and Shaad Rab (who stayed in Bengal for many months and was arrested in Kerala by Assam police),” said an investigating officer.
A source said having these three in custody would allow STF officers to conduct a thorough interrogation and also cross-question all of them face-to-face.
Intelligence officials claim that Tarikul, who was convicted in the 2014 Khagragarh blastraised money while in prison under the pretext of paying fines. They said Tarikul was aware he needed to pay a fine at the end of his sentence. Failing to do so would make it difficult for him to walk out of jail and return to Bangladesh.
During interrogation, Tarikul revealed that he worked to “convert” a few individuals in prison. STF said that after being caught, Tarikul was in Kolkata’s Presidency Correctional Home. In 2019, he was transferred to Behrampore Central Correctional Home. Abbas, who had been arrested in a POCSO case, was also imprisoned there.
Investigators are uncertain whether Tarikul recruited others as well. An intelligence officer said that so far, only Abbas’s name had come up.
Abbas was instructed to meet JMB leaders who were in hiding due to police crackdowns following the Khagragarh blast. Sources said after being released from jail, Abbas and Minarul went to Assam to meet JMB’s Nur. Under Nur’s influence, ABT became active in various districts in Bengal led by Abbas and Minarul.
While Tarikul Islam, lodged at Behrampore Correctional Home, has emerged as the one who ideated on terrorism fundinganother JMB member, identified as Najibullah, is in Presidency Jail.
“Tarikul is unwilling to provide clear information about his association with others. Detailed information is necessary to dismantle the ABT network. Therefore, we want to question Abbas Ali, Minarul Sk (both arrested in Bengal but now in Assam police custody) and Shaad Rab (who stayed in Bengal for many months and was arrested in Kerala by Assam police),” said an investigating officer.
A source said having these three in custody would allow STF officers to conduct a thorough interrogation and also cross-question all of them face-to-face.
Intelligence officials claim that Tarikul, who was convicted in the 2014 Khagragarh blastraised money while in prison under the pretext of paying fines. They said Tarikul was aware he needed to pay a fine at the end of his sentence. Failing to do so would make it difficult for him to walk out of jail and return to Bangladesh.
During interrogation, Tarikul revealed that he worked to “convert” a few individuals in prison. STF said that after being caught, Tarikul was in Kolkata’s Presidency Correctional Home. In 2019, he was transferred to Behrampore Central Correctional Home. Abbas, who had been arrested in a POCSO case, was also imprisoned there.
Investigators are uncertain whether Tarikul recruited others as well. An intelligence officer said that so far, only Abbas’s name had come up.
Abbas was instructed to meet JMB leaders who were in hiding due to police crackdowns following the Khagragarh blast. Sources said after being released from jail, Abbas and Minarul went to Assam to meet JMB’s Nur. Under Nur’s influence, ABT became active in various districts in Bengal led by Abbas and Minarul.
